Dr. Natalya Bailey

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The Emerging Technologist Abie Award recognizes a midcareer woman technologist in the first 10 years of her technical career, and celebrates the creative ways she confronts problems and seeks solutions, as well as the potential she has to shape the future of her field for years to come. This year’s winner is Dr. Natalya Bailey, CEO and Co-founder at Accion Systems.

Natalya is considered one of the top leaders in the emerging field of small satellite propulsion. Natalya worked with her Co-founder to invent a new form of propulsion engine that made use of a liquid ion propulsion technology for small satellites that is safer to handle, cheaper to produce, and smaller in terms of mass and volume while she earned her doctorate in space propulsion at MIT in 2014.

In 2017, Natalya introduced a diversity program for hiring consisting of targeted recruitment, community outreach, co-op and internships, and community college outreach to augment its workforce with women and minorities that have been underrepresented in the industry. Over the past 12 months, 55% of Accion’s new hires were women.

Natalya is passionate about giving back to the community and mentoring those in her industry. She is one of the first mentors for the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship, where she is mentoring a female aerospace student from Purdue University. By teaching the fundamentals of leadership and entrepreneurship, Natalya is also paving the way for a new generation of entrepreneurs by working as an official mentor at Youth CITIES, a Boston based nonprofit that empowers middle and high school students to innovate and drive change in their community.